The waves in Seal Beach were huge on Tuesday, and should be even bigger on the contest day for the Mike Morgan Wave of the Day planned for Friday. The area's best 18 surfers are invited to try and catch the best wave of the day.

Mike Morgan tucks into a wave on the southside of the Seal Beach Pier.

Mike Morgan,seen here in the booth at Huntington Beach, was the popular and long-time announcer of the U.S. Open of Surfing and numerous other professional and amateur surfing contests. He died at age 44.

Mike Morgan throwing big spray on a cut back wave. He was on the NSSA national team, and later joined the pro ranks on the longboarding circuit.

Mike Morgan, who died in 2005 at age 44, was known for his positive impacts in the surfing community.

A big-wave contest that relies on the force of Mother Nature will finally run Friday, after being on hold for the past two years because of flat waves.

A swell that promises big enough waves means the Mike Morgan Wave of the Day surf contest will go down at 12th Street in Seal Beach on the south side of the pier, with forecasters giving Friday the go-ahead with 8-foot-plus waves expected to bring bombing barrels for the area’s top 18 surfers.

The invite-only list includes surfers who have proved themselves in the pounding surf Seal Beach can produce during wintertime, a fickle wave that only every few years shows up in force. Among the list are people such as World Tour surfer Brett Simpson, who knew Morgan from his days surfing in National Scholastic Surfing Association events, and newcomers such as Surfline founder Sean Collin’s son, A.J. Collins.

“The boys are frothing,” said contest organizer Chris Sardelis. “This is going to be a great event.”

The contest isn’t just about catching waves. It’s also about giving back to the Seal Beach community. Fund-raising efforts started in December, with donations going to the Prescott Firefighter Charity in the name of Kevin Woyjeck, a Seal Beach firefighter killed while battling a wildfire in Arizona last year. Past years, the fund-raising efforts have raised about $7,000 for the Seal Beach Victims’ Fund, Wounded Warriors and the Seal Beach junior lifeguards.

Woyjeck grew up surfing Seal Beach and was a water-lover who fished the pier and was part of the Seal Beach junior lifeguards as a kid.

The Los Alamitos High School graduate was among 19 firefighters killed June 30 during a wildfire in Arizona. He was part of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew that would fight fires in remote, backcountry areas. The 19 deaths are said to have been among the worst disasters in firefighting history.

So far this year, $4,600 has been raised. Donations will also be accepted on the beach at the contest.

Sardelis said that a group of people will gather at 6 a.m. Friday on the berm to assess conditions and determine what time the contest will start, between 7:30 a.m. and 10. The contest will last three hours.

The event pays tribute to one of the area’s most beloved surfers, Mike Morgan, who grew up in Long Beach but called Seal Beach’s waves his home.

The name came from Peter “PT” Townend, who recalled what Morgan would say to him after his dawn-patrol surf sessions.

Every day it was the same, with Morgan shouting out: “I got the wave of the day!”

Morgan was a surfer with endless stoke who influenced and gained the respect of some of Orange County’s most notable surfers. He was also an all-star football player at Wilson High School. At one point he had to make a decision about what sport he wanted to pursue.

He got a job at Harbour Surfboards on Main Street in Seal Beach, and his surfing ability allowed him to become a standout on the National Scholastic Surfing Association circuit. He then joined the national team, which was coached by Townend.

Morgan went on to work for Chuck Dent surfboards, and helped start up the Seal Beach shop. He joined the pro longboarding scene for a while, and then started announcing contests with the National Scholastic Surfing Association. Later, he got the big gig as a commentator at the U.S. Open of Surfing, in front of thousands of surf fans, with friend Rick “Rockin’ Fig” Fignetti.

Morgan’s unexpected death shocked the surf world in 2005. He died at 44, after a head injury he sustained while getting out of the shower.

Thousands of people participated in his paddleout – one of the biggest in Huntington Beach.

The south side of Seal Beach has a fickle wave. When it turns on, it’s a heavy, steep wave that can produce bombing barrels that could crush a surfer on the shore break.

The contest will have no bleachers, no jerseys – just big, bombing barrels and surfers competing for the $2,000 the judges will give to the surfer who catches the best wave. There’s also a $250 award for Best Wipeout given by clothing company Carving Water.

Organizers will meet on the beach at 7 a.m. to assess the conditions, and are hoping to start about 9 a.m., but they might start earlier or later depending on conditions. The contest runs three hours.

Laylan Connelly started as a journalist in 2002 after earning a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. Through the years, she has covered several cities, including Irvine, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. In recent years, she has covered Orange County's beach and surf culture. Coverage includes everything from local wildlife off the coast, beach events, lifeguard happenings and the surf industry. When she's not writing about the beach, she is there enjoying it. Favorite surf spots include Doheny and San O.

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